Swedish Immigrant 'Folkart' in Western Washington: A Survey of Handmade Artifacts in Collections

SWEDISH IMMIGRANT 'FOLKART' IN
WESTERN WASHINGTON
A SURVEY
OF HANDMADE ARTIFACTS IN COLLECTIONS
A N N & H O W A R D W I CK
The history and preservation of Swedish immigrant 'folkart' in
Western Washington parallels the history of Swedish artifact
preservation in most of the United States and, indeed, most immi­grant
folkart preservation in a newly adopted homeland. It is a
history that is highly subject to chance, that is dependent on the few
individuals in a family that are interested in preserving their ancestral
roots and to the establishment of collections that can provide secure
storage under appropriate conditions. There certainly are no man­dates
that compel individuals to recognize, let alone save, these
priceless reminders of who we were and from where we came. The
immigrants themselves viewed the handmade objects that we now
recognize as having a folkart character in a very different light While
the items were well made and aesthetically pleasing, the end result
of generations of practical design evolution, and often decorated, they
were, after all, made to be used. Only rarely did a passion for the
objects themselves lead to their collection and preservation as
material culture, a phenomenon recently described by Marion J.
Nelson in Material C u l t u r e a n d People's A r t a m o n g the N o r w e g i a n s in
A m e r i c a . 1
The majority of Swedish immigrants who arrived in the United
States during the mass emigration period of 1860-1914 were poor and
often made their living off the land. They were talented in handwork
skills, primarily out of necessity because funds to purchase tools,
household items, or clothing were limited. At the same time, their
craft skills and traditions were important channels of self-expression.
In their cultural tradition, even the lowliest of utilitarian objects were
often decorated. However, when the decision was made to journey
to "Amerika," hard choices had to be thought over and debated.
Space was at a premium and weight had to be considered carefully.
42
Should m o r m o r ' s bowl come along or should it be morfar's old
wooden mug? Should the christening dress be packed, or should the
space be given to an extra shirt to wear? Should the space go for an
ax or a saw or the wool carders? Even though their lifestyle was what
we would consider today as simple and their possessions few, most
items were sold or left behind with remaining family. Large items,
such as cupboards, could simply not be moved by most even if the
family was rich enough to have owned them.2 What fit in the
"Amerika Trunk" went, what did not stayed.
Life in the new country was frequently hard and cash usually very
limited. Clothing and tools could not be set aside and often were not
discarded until they were worn out or, if kept, showed the effects of
prolonged use. In many instances, old, well-worn tools and items of
clothing have been preserved as family heirlooms and as testimonies
to immigrant forefathers. Family Bibles, chests, and inherited
household items usually fared better and were often carefully
preserved by the immigrants, but they often lost their historical
connection in subsequent generations. As both public and private
collections in Western Washington demonstrate, family Bibles and
confirmation books have survived in great numbers.
One of the most significant facts to come out of this survey of
Swedish folkart in Western Washington is that the historical con­nection
or a documented history has been lost for all but a few of the
articles. The rapidity with which historical connections were lost is
truly shocking considering that at most, less than 150 years have
passed. Even family Bibles, with pages carefully documenting the
births and deaths of generation after generation, show up in garage
sales with no one knowing who these people were or how the Bible
came to be there. Bowls, tools and chests might be kept for decorative
reasons in the family but their histories, too, were lost. Changing
tastes often resulted in an artifact being sold, discard, or donated to
a museum without any accompanying records. To be sure, there is a
dire need to identify, document, and preserve the items that remain
if we are to understand the scope of the Swedish immigrant folkart
fully. Western Washington is also not unique in this regard. The lack
of historical connection and documentation for donated items is a
problem shared by museums across America.
The Swedish Folkart Database Surveyed
There are tens of thousands of Scandinavian items including
43
modern manufactured goods and tourist souvenirs in dozens of
public and private collections in Western Washington. Thousands of
these items were probably brought here or were made here by
Swedish immigrants who arrived before 1920. Books, particularly
Luther's Small Catechism, hymnals, and songbooks, are so common
that many collections do not have space for them. Other items, such
as tools,3 have been saved but usually have no attending history.
Sometimes even their function is uncertain.
Only a relatively few handmade Swedish immigrant items have
been preserved with their history and family connections intact. A
survey of approximately 15,000 items found primarily in two of the
largest Scandinavian collections in Western Washington—the Nordic
Heritage Museum in Seattle and the Scandinavian Cultural Center at
Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma—show this pattern of
undocumented history.
Generally, most 'folkart' items fit into one of five categories: 1)
trunks and other containers, 2) tools, 3) textiles, 4) clothing, and 5)
family keepsakes. They share the characteristics of primarily being
handmade, generally by the immigrant family, and with the exception
of some furniture items and trunks, are small and lightweight.
Representative Items from the Collections
The following items are representative of the types of folkart items
found in the collections surveyed.
44
Illustration 1: Painted trunk. Dimensions: 100 cm x 57.2 cm x 51 cm.
Made in Sweden, 1821, probably as a dower chest in the Dalarna
area. Owned by maternal aunt of donor. Trunk is constructed of
wood with red painted iron and oval metal handles. Exterior has a
rural blue painted background. Flat, rectangular, hinged lid is painted
with 'kurbitz' style flowers in white, ochre-green, and rural red
flanking "B.O.D. 1821" and a vase with flowers. Front also has
'kurbitz' style flowers. Interior is unpainted. Courtesy of the Nordic
Heritage Museum, Seattle. Similar chests are found in collections in
Sweden as illustrated by Plath,4 Fredlund,5 and 6 Svensson,7 and
Erixon.8 A history of the chest with some Swedish illustrations is
presented by Anker.9
45
Illustration 2: Handcarved wood box. Dimensions: 25 cm x 7 cm x 4
cm. Made in Sweden in 1800s by grandfather of donor. Box is made
of wood and shaped like a grandfather clock. It has a two-part lid,
one part comes off, the other swivels out of the way. There are two
compartments in the bottom part of the box, each about one inch
deep. One is round and the other is oblong. Outside of box has been
stained dark brown, and is decorated with carving and painting. Top
has a rectangular hole that may have been for a latch. Interior is
unpainted. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. This
box is typical of the very wide range of types of boxes made for
many purposes. Other types of handcarved boxes are illustrated by
Plath,10 Kristiansson,11 Knutsson,12 and Nylèn.13
46
47
Illustration 3 (Previous page): Mora clock. Dimensions: 55 cm x 195.4
cm x 20.8 cm. Made in Mora, Sweden, 1834. Owned by maternal aunt
of donor. Case is constructed of wood. Round top sits on teardrop
shaped middle, which sits on rectangular base. Clock has white
painted metal face with black numbers, record hours and days of
month; "Mora" written in black letters; three metal hands. Round
hinged frame opens to allow access to face. Outside of case painted
brown with green, orange, and yellow crest on top, sunburst design
at bottom of face. Middle section has brown background with green
scalloped edge and white scroll design with "1834." Hinged front
with round glass window. Bottom section has kurbitz design of
green, white, and orange. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum,
Seattle. Clocks were made in a in variety of styles in addition to the
'Mora' clock design, reflecting the design preferences in other areas
of Sweden. A variety of styles are illustrated by Plath,14 Fredlund,15
and 1 6 Erixon,17, and Klein & Widbom.18
Illustration 4: Mangle board. Dimensions: 51.8 cm x 7.9 cm x 9.2 cm.
Probably carved as a betrothal gift in Sweden, 1766. Made of wood.
Long, rectangular with slightly tapering end. Triangular burnt
ornamentation forms pattern of zigzags, hearts, and circles. Carved
horse stands perpendicular to board, creating handle. "ANO 1766"
carved on top. Bottom is smooth and unfinished. Courtesy of the
Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. While utilitarian in function,
mangle boards were often decorated with carving. Additional
handcarved mangle boards are illustrated by Knutsson,19 Nylèn,2 0 and
Fredlund.21
48
Illustration 5: Wood bucket. Dimensions: 26.5 cm x 23 cm. Made in
Sweden, 1879. Wood stave construction with wooden bands, solid
wood bottom. Rounded upright posts for " C " shaped iron handle.
"OAS 1879" carved on bottom. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage
Museum, Seattle. This bucket is typical of a wide variety of coopered
containers made for many purposes including canteens, tankards,
pitchers, tubs and dishes. Other containers using coopered or stave
construction are illustrated by Plath,22 Kristiansson,23 Fredlund,24 and
Nylèn.25
49
Illustration 6: Wood bowl. Dimensions: 61.4 cm x 27.4 cm x 8.3 cm.
Date & place made uncertain. Donated to museum with other items
by descendant of Swedish immigrants. Rectangular, probably
handcarved. Symbol on back, with initials "E.H.S." and "H.E.S."
Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. This bowl is
typical of the many types of handcarved bowls made both in Sweden
and Amerika. Additional handcarved bowls are illustrated by
Nylén,2 6 Fredson,27 and Klein & Widbom.28
50
Illustration 7: Flax breaker. Dimensions: 76 cm x 12 cm x 2 cm. Date
& place made uncertain. Donated to museum with other items by
descendent of Swedish immigrants. Made of wood with iron spikes
in circular pattern at center; used to separate flax fibers. Initial " H "
on front. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. Similar
flax breakers are illustrated by Fredlund and a description of flax
processing is presented.29
51
Illustration 8: Birchbark backpack. Dimensions: 48 cm x 43 cm x 17
cm. Made in Sweden in 1870s. Donated to museum with other items
by descendant of Swedish immigrants. Made of woven birchbark
with cord straps. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle.
A similar birchbark backpack is illustrated by Nylèn as part of a large
collection of articles made of birchbark.30
52
Illustration 9: Bedspread. Dimensions: 182 cm x 240 cm. Made in
about 1880 in Sweden by grandmother of donor; brought to America
by mother of donor when she immigrated in 1887. Woven linen with
raised decoration. Courtesy of the Scandinavian Cultural Center,
Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma. A similar bedspread is illustrat­ed
by Nylèn.31 The bedspread shown is just one example of the wide
variety of sophisticated textile items that were hand-crafted by the
Swedish immigrants.32 and 3 3
53
54
Illustration 10 (Previous page): Swedish woman's folkcostume from
Ilsbo, Hälsingland. Various parts of costume made in Sweden in late
19th and early 20th century. Donated to museum with other items by
descendent of Swedish immigrants. Apron: linen, white. Vertical red
stripes; stripes are made up of small squares. Rectangular shape,
gathers into woven wool band of red and white with heart design
ending in tassels. Apron was worn with the folkcostume in summer.
Blouse: linen, white. Crocheted lace ruffled neck; tucked front yoke,
with faint pink cross-stitched initials, "IALD." Long sleeves, gusseted
and gathered at cuffs. Cuffs once had crocheted lace trim, now worn
away. Cap: satin, dark green. Chain-stitch embroidery of flowers, in
green, yellow, rust, pink, and purple. Rounded cap on hard form.
Green bow in back, with embroidered border in yellow, brown, and
pink. Green elastic chin strap. Lace: white in a rectangular, flower
pattern. Inserts into cap along front edge. Scarf: silk, roughly square,
brown background with woven pattern of flowers in lighter brown
and border stripes of green, tan, rust, and yellow; self fringe. Very
worn and fragile; piece has been backed with brown chiffon to
reinforce it. Bodice/skirt combination: wool. Vertical stripes of dark
green, black, red, and white. Scooped neck, sleeveless bodice with
front hook and eye closing. Waistband; skirt pleated to waist. Royal
blue bias tape hemmed edges. Stockings: nylon, red. Thigh-high
stockings, machine made, C.1970S. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage
Museum, Seattle.
Folkcostumes continue to be a major part of the Swedish cultural
heritage in both Sweden and America.
55
Illustration 11: Detail of belt bag from Ilsbo, Hälsingland. Dimensions:
16 cm x 24 cm. Probably made in Sweden in early 20th century.
Donated to museum with other items by descendent of Swedish
immigrants. Wool; dark blue, with mossy green front. Red wool
appliqués; striped yellow-brown cotton, rust/black print cotton;
outlined in small beads. White leather edging. Brass belt hook.
Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. Other styles of belt
bags are illustrated by Plath,34 Nylèn,3 5 and Klein & Widbom.36
56
Illustration 12: Handcarved fisherman. Overall height of the figure is
22 cm. Made in Minnesota in the early 1930s by co-author's father,
Nils Sten Nordin, an immigrant from Värmland who came to the
America in 1914 at the age of 12 with his family. Figure is carved
from wood and painted. Courtesy of Ann Wick. Figure carving has
a long tradition in Sweden and continues to be popular today in both
Sweden and America.37 Additional handcarved figures are illustrated
in Nylèn3 8 and Klein & Widbom.39 The figures range from the purely
whimsical, like the fisherman, to toys and decorations on other items
such as mangle boards and harness saddles.
57
Illustration 13: Painted coffee table top. Present location unknown.
This piece was done sometime in the early 1970s by Tacoma artist
Harold Morin. Born in Hälsingborg, Sweden in 1900, Morin spent
most of his professional years as a commercial artist in the Minneapo¬
lis-St. Paul area. In the 1960s he retired and moved to Pierce County,
Washington, where he devoted the remainder of his life to fine arts
painting. Known as much for his enormous capacity as for his
distinctive style, Morin is also remembered as a very fine craftsman
who produced both sculpture and furniture. These latter works were
always very decorative, very colorful, and invariably demonstrated
strong affinities with Swedish folk art. The table shown here
belonged to Harald and his wife, Huldi, and, in its design, matched
a large book shelf which stood in their Tacoma living room. Works
by Morin are primarily found in private collections in Pierce County,
the Midwest and Sweden. Public collections containing his works are
Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma) and the Nordic Heritage Muse­um
(Seattle). Information and photograph: courtesy of Dr. Brian
Magnusson, Fox Island, Washington.
58
Summary
It is fortunate that there is an expanding awareness and apprecia­tion
for the articles and family heirlooms used and preserved by our
ancestors. Without the collections that the Nordic Heritage Museum,
Pacific Lutheran University, and private collectors have put together,
many of these pieces would have been discarded, destined to be lost
forever. Saving the object, however, is saving only part of the story
that goes with that object. For those who still have some of these
historically priceless pieces of Swedish folkart remaining in their
family and the histories are known, it is critical that the stories be
preserved. Who made it? When did they make it? Where? How did
it come to you? Who had it before? When items do come in larger
collections, it is important that the histories be recorded and kept
together with the donated items and that resources be sufficient to
catalog not only who donated it but as much accompanying history
as possible.
The authors wish to express their appreciation to the Nordic
Heritage Museum, Seattle, WA and to the Scandinavian Cultural
Center, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA for providing access ,,
to the collections and permission to use photographs and descriptions
of items in this article. Special thanks are given to Marianne Fors¬
sblad, Director of the Nordic Heritage Museum, and her staff and to
Susan Young, Program Director of the Scandinavian Cultural Center,
for their valuable assistance in accessing the collections.
NOTES
1 Marion J. Nelson, ed., M a t e r i a l C u l t u r e and People's A r t among the N o r w e g i a n s in A m e r i ca
(Northfield, M N : NAHA, 1994).
2 Notable exceptions are, of course, also found in Western Washington as elsewhere.
The Hovander Homestead near Ferndale has a fine collection of furniture and other
household items brought from Sweden by Håkan Hovander. Similarly, the American
Swedish Institute in Minneapolis has numerous furniture items owned by the Turnblad
family and other Swedish immigrants.
3 There are numerous private collections of tools, and a detailed characterization of
them, while beyond the scope of the present survey, would easily provide material for
an independent study.
4 Iona Hath, The D e c o r a t i v e A r t s of Sweden (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1966),
147-9.
5 Jane Fredlund, Målade allmogemöbler (Västerås: ICA Bokförlag, 1989), 47-51.
6 Jane Fredlund, G a m l a Möbler - Möbelstilar och inredning i S v e r i g e 1 7 0 0 - 1 9 5 0 (Västerås:
ICA Bokförlag, 1995).
59
7 Sigfrid Svensson, Allmogemöbler - B i l d e r frän N o r d i s k museet (Stockholm: Nordiska
Museet, 1949), 28,39.
8 Sigurd Erixon, F o l k l i g möbelkultur i svenska bygder (Stockholm: P.A. Norstedt & Söner,
1970), 53.
9 Peter Anker, Chests and Caskets (Oslo: C. Huitfeldt Forlag, 1975).
1 0 Plath, The D e c o r a t i v e A r t s of Sweden, 150-1, 155, and 160.
11 Mai-Britt Kristiansson, H a n t v e r k och tradition i Ådalen (Stockholm: Lts Förlag, 1983),
44-7.
1 2 Johan Knutsson, Friargåvor (Stockholm: Nordiska Museet, 1995), 26-7, 56-9, 79, and
85.
1 3 Anna-Maja Nylén, Swedish Handcraft (Lund: Håkan Ohlsson Förlag, 1976), 370-88.
14 Plath, The D e c o r a t i v e A r t s of Sweden, 152-3.
1 5 Fredlund, Målade allmogenmöbler, 65-9.
1 6 Fredlund, G a m l a Möbler..., 117-21.
1 7 Erixon, 48, 68, and 81-5.
1 8 Barbro Klein and Mats Widbom, eds., Swedish Folk Art - A l l Tradition is Change (New
York: Henry N . Abrams, Inc., 1994), 36, 60, and 222.
1 9 Knutsson, 43 and 49.
2 0 Nylén, 363.
2 1 Jane Fredlund, S t o r a boken om l i v e t förr (Västerås: ICA Bokförlag, 1981), 47.
2 2 Plath, The D e c o r a t i v e A r t s of Sweden, 158-9.
2 3 Kristiansson, 44-5 and 89.
2 4 Nylén, 374-7.
2 5 Fredlund, S t o r a boken om l i v e t förr, 19-20 and 42.
2 6 Nylén, 357-361.
2 7 Fredlund, 19 and 25.
2 8 Klein and Widbom, 63.
2 9 Fredlund, 33 and 35.
3 0 Nylén, 383.
3 1 Nylén, 47.
3 2 Nylén, 107-338.
3 3 Maj Sternerj Homecrafts in Sweden (Stockholm: C.E. Fritzes Kungl. Hovbokhandel,
1939). np.
3 4 Plath, The D e c o r a t i v e A r t s of Sweden, 37-8.
3 5 Nylén, 262.
3 6 Klein and Widbom, 81.
3 7 Harley Refsal, Woodcarving in the Scandinavian Style (New York: Sterling Publishing
Co., 1992). np.
3 8 Nylén, 348-68.
3 9 Klein and Widbom, 10, 73-5, and 198-9.
60

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SWEDISH IMMIGRANT 'FOLKART' IN
WESTERN WASHINGTON
A SURVEY
OF HANDMADE ARTIFACTS IN COLLECTIONS
A N N & H O W A R D W I CK
The history and preservation of Swedish immigrant 'folkart' in
Western Washington parallels the history of Swedish artifact
preservation in most of the United States and, indeed, most immi­grant
folkart preservation in a newly adopted homeland. It is a
history that is highly subject to chance, that is dependent on the few
individuals in a family that are interested in preserving their ancestral
roots and to the establishment of collections that can provide secure
storage under appropriate conditions. There certainly are no man­dates
that compel individuals to recognize, let alone save, these
priceless reminders of who we were and from where we came. The
immigrants themselves viewed the handmade objects that we now
recognize as having a folkart character in a very different light While
the items were well made and aesthetically pleasing, the end result
of generations of practical design evolution, and often decorated, they
were, after all, made to be used. Only rarely did a passion for the
objects themselves lead to their collection and preservation as
material culture, a phenomenon recently described by Marion J.
Nelson in Material C u l t u r e a n d People's A r t a m o n g the N o r w e g i a n s in
A m e r i c a . 1
The majority of Swedish immigrants who arrived in the United
States during the mass emigration period of 1860-1914 were poor and
often made their living off the land. They were talented in handwork
skills, primarily out of necessity because funds to purchase tools,
household items, or clothing were limited. At the same time, their
craft skills and traditions were important channels of self-expression.
In their cultural tradition, even the lowliest of utilitarian objects were
often decorated. However, when the decision was made to journey
to "Amerika," hard choices had to be thought over and debated.
Space was at a premium and weight had to be considered carefully.
42
Should m o r m o r ' s bowl come along or should it be morfar's old
wooden mug? Should the christening dress be packed, or should the
space be given to an extra shirt to wear? Should the space go for an
ax or a saw or the wool carders? Even though their lifestyle was what
we would consider today as simple and their possessions few, most
items were sold or left behind with remaining family. Large items,
such as cupboards, could simply not be moved by most even if the
family was rich enough to have owned them.2 What fit in the
"Amerika Trunk" went, what did not stayed.
Life in the new country was frequently hard and cash usually very
limited. Clothing and tools could not be set aside and often were not
discarded until they were worn out or, if kept, showed the effects of
prolonged use. In many instances, old, well-worn tools and items of
clothing have been preserved as family heirlooms and as testimonies
to immigrant forefathers. Family Bibles, chests, and inherited
household items usually fared better and were often carefully
preserved by the immigrants, but they often lost their historical
connection in subsequent generations. As both public and private
collections in Western Washington demonstrate, family Bibles and
confirmation books have survived in great numbers.
One of the most significant facts to come out of this survey of
Swedish folkart in Western Washington is that the historical con­nection
or a documented history has been lost for all but a few of the
articles. The rapidity with which historical connections were lost is
truly shocking considering that at most, less than 150 years have
passed. Even family Bibles, with pages carefully documenting the
births and deaths of generation after generation, show up in garage
sales with no one knowing who these people were or how the Bible
came to be there. Bowls, tools and chests might be kept for decorative
reasons in the family but their histories, too, were lost. Changing
tastes often resulted in an artifact being sold, discard, or donated to
a museum without any accompanying records. To be sure, there is a
dire need to identify, document, and preserve the items that remain
if we are to understand the scope of the Swedish immigrant folkart
fully. Western Washington is also not unique in this regard. The lack
of historical connection and documentation for donated items is a
problem shared by museums across America.
The Swedish Folkart Database Surveyed
There are tens of thousands of Scandinavian items including
43
modern manufactured goods and tourist souvenirs in dozens of
public and private collections in Western Washington. Thousands of
these items were probably brought here or were made here by
Swedish immigrants who arrived before 1920. Books, particularly
Luther's Small Catechism, hymnals, and songbooks, are so common
that many collections do not have space for them. Other items, such
as tools,3 have been saved but usually have no attending history.
Sometimes even their function is uncertain.
Only a relatively few handmade Swedish immigrant items have
been preserved with their history and family connections intact. A
survey of approximately 15,000 items found primarily in two of the
largest Scandinavian collections in Western Washington—the Nordic
Heritage Museum in Seattle and the Scandinavian Cultural Center at
Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma—show this pattern of
undocumented history.
Generally, most 'folkart' items fit into one of five categories: 1)
trunks and other containers, 2) tools, 3) textiles, 4) clothing, and 5)
family keepsakes. They share the characteristics of primarily being
handmade, generally by the immigrant family, and with the exception
of some furniture items and trunks, are small and lightweight.
Representative Items from the Collections
The following items are representative of the types of folkart items
found in the collections surveyed.
44
Illustration 1: Painted trunk. Dimensions: 100 cm x 57.2 cm x 51 cm.
Made in Sweden, 1821, probably as a dower chest in the Dalarna
area. Owned by maternal aunt of donor. Trunk is constructed of
wood with red painted iron and oval metal handles. Exterior has a
rural blue painted background. Flat, rectangular, hinged lid is painted
with 'kurbitz' style flowers in white, ochre-green, and rural red
flanking "B.O.D. 1821" and a vase with flowers. Front also has
'kurbitz' style flowers. Interior is unpainted. Courtesy of the Nordic
Heritage Museum, Seattle. Similar chests are found in collections in
Sweden as illustrated by Plath,4 Fredlund,5 and 6 Svensson,7 and
Erixon.8 A history of the chest with some Swedish illustrations is
presented by Anker.9
45
Illustration 2: Handcarved wood box. Dimensions: 25 cm x 7 cm x 4
cm. Made in Sweden in 1800s by grandfather of donor. Box is made
of wood and shaped like a grandfather clock. It has a two-part lid,
one part comes off, the other swivels out of the way. There are two
compartments in the bottom part of the box, each about one inch
deep. One is round and the other is oblong. Outside of box has been
stained dark brown, and is decorated with carving and painting. Top
has a rectangular hole that may have been for a latch. Interior is
unpainted. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. This
box is typical of the very wide range of types of boxes made for
many purposes. Other types of handcarved boxes are illustrated by
Plath,10 Kristiansson,11 Knutsson,12 and Nylèn.13
46
47
Illustration 3 (Previous page): Mora clock. Dimensions: 55 cm x 195.4
cm x 20.8 cm. Made in Mora, Sweden, 1834. Owned by maternal aunt
of donor. Case is constructed of wood. Round top sits on teardrop
shaped middle, which sits on rectangular base. Clock has white
painted metal face with black numbers, record hours and days of
month; "Mora" written in black letters; three metal hands. Round
hinged frame opens to allow access to face. Outside of case painted
brown with green, orange, and yellow crest on top, sunburst design
at bottom of face. Middle section has brown background with green
scalloped edge and white scroll design with "1834." Hinged front
with round glass window. Bottom section has kurbitz design of
green, white, and orange. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum,
Seattle. Clocks were made in a in variety of styles in addition to the
'Mora' clock design, reflecting the design preferences in other areas
of Sweden. A variety of styles are illustrated by Plath,14 Fredlund,15
and 1 6 Erixon,17, and Klein & Widbom.18
Illustration 4: Mangle board. Dimensions: 51.8 cm x 7.9 cm x 9.2 cm.
Probably carved as a betrothal gift in Sweden, 1766. Made of wood.
Long, rectangular with slightly tapering end. Triangular burnt
ornamentation forms pattern of zigzags, hearts, and circles. Carved
horse stands perpendicular to board, creating handle. "ANO 1766"
carved on top. Bottom is smooth and unfinished. Courtesy of the
Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. While utilitarian in function,
mangle boards were often decorated with carving. Additional
handcarved mangle boards are illustrated by Knutsson,19 Nylèn,2 0 and
Fredlund.21
48
Illustration 5: Wood bucket. Dimensions: 26.5 cm x 23 cm. Made in
Sweden, 1879. Wood stave construction with wooden bands, solid
wood bottom. Rounded upright posts for " C " shaped iron handle.
"OAS 1879" carved on bottom. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage
Museum, Seattle. This bucket is typical of a wide variety of coopered
containers made for many purposes including canteens, tankards,
pitchers, tubs and dishes. Other containers using coopered or stave
construction are illustrated by Plath,22 Kristiansson,23 Fredlund,24 and
Nylèn.25
49
Illustration 6: Wood bowl. Dimensions: 61.4 cm x 27.4 cm x 8.3 cm.
Date & place made uncertain. Donated to museum with other items
by descendant of Swedish immigrants. Rectangular, probably
handcarved. Symbol on back, with initials "E.H.S." and "H.E.S."
Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. This bowl is
typical of the many types of handcarved bowls made both in Sweden
and Amerika. Additional handcarved bowls are illustrated by
Nylén,2 6 Fredson,27 and Klein & Widbom.28
50
Illustration 7: Flax breaker. Dimensions: 76 cm x 12 cm x 2 cm. Date
& place made uncertain. Donated to museum with other items by
descendent of Swedish immigrants. Made of wood with iron spikes
in circular pattern at center; used to separate flax fibers. Initial " H "
on front. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. Similar
flax breakers are illustrated by Fredlund and a description of flax
processing is presented.29
51
Illustration 8: Birchbark backpack. Dimensions: 48 cm x 43 cm x 17
cm. Made in Sweden in 1870s. Donated to museum with other items
by descendant of Swedish immigrants. Made of woven birchbark
with cord straps. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle.
A similar birchbark backpack is illustrated by Nylèn as part of a large
collection of articles made of birchbark.30
52
Illustration 9: Bedspread. Dimensions: 182 cm x 240 cm. Made in
about 1880 in Sweden by grandmother of donor; brought to America
by mother of donor when she immigrated in 1887. Woven linen with
raised decoration. Courtesy of the Scandinavian Cultural Center,
Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma. A similar bedspread is illustrat­ed
by Nylèn.31 The bedspread shown is just one example of the wide
variety of sophisticated textile items that were hand-crafted by the
Swedish immigrants.32 and 3 3
53
54
Illustration 10 (Previous page): Swedish woman's folkcostume from
Ilsbo, Hälsingland. Various parts of costume made in Sweden in late
19th and early 20th century. Donated to museum with other items by
descendent of Swedish immigrants. Apron: linen, white. Vertical red
stripes; stripes are made up of small squares. Rectangular shape,
gathers into woven wool band of red and white with heart design
ending in tassels. Apron was worn with the folkcostume in summer.
Blouse: linen, white. Crocheted lace ruffled neck; tucked front yoke,
with faint pink cross-stitched initials, "IALD." Long sleeves, gusseted
and gathered at cuffs. Cuffs once had crocheted lace trim, now worn
away. Cap: satin, dark green. Chain-stitch embroidery of flowers, in
green, yellow, rust, pink, and purple. Rounded cap on hard form.
Green bow in back, with embroidered border in yellow, brown, and
pink. Green elastic chin strap. Lace: white in a rectangular, flower
pattern. Inserts into cap along front edge. Scarf: silk, roughly square,
brown background with woven pattern of flowers in lighter brown
and border stripes of green, tan, rust, and yellow; self fringe. Very
worn and fragile; piece has been backed with brown chiffon to
reinforce it. Bodice/skirt combination: wool. Vertical stripes of dark
green, black, red, and white. Scooped neck, sleeveless bodice with
front hook and eye closing. Waistband; skirt pleated to waist. Royal
blue bias tape hemmed edges. Stockings: nylon, red. Thigh-high
stockings, machine made, C.1970S. Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage
Museum, Seattle.
Folkcostumes continue to be a major part of the Swedish cultural
heritage in both Sweden and America.
55
Illustration 11: Detail of belt bag from Ilsbo, Hälsingland. Dimensions:
16 cm x 24 cm. Probably made in Sweden in early 20th century.
Donated to museum with other items by descendent of Swedish
immigrants. Wool; dark blue, with mossy green front. Red wool
appliqués; striped yellow-brown cotton, rust/black print cotton;
outlined in small beads. White leather edging. Brass belt hook.
Courtesy of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle. Other styles of belt
bags are illustrated by Plath,34 Nylèn,3 5 and Klein & Widbom.36
56
Illustration 12: Handcarved fisherman. Overall height of the figure is
22 cm. Made in Minnesota in the early 1930s by co-author's father,
Nils Sten Nordin, an immigrant from Värmland who came to the
America in 1914 at the age of 12 with his family. Figure is carved
from wood and painted. Courtesy of Ann Wick. Figure carving has
a long tradition in Sweden and continues to be popular today in both
Sweden and America.37 Additional handcarved figures are illustrated
in Nylèn3 8 and Klein & Widbom.39 The figures range from the purely
whimsical, like the fisherman, to toys and decorations on other items
such as mangle boards and harness saddles.
57
Illustration 13: Painted coffee table top. Present location unknown.
This piece was done sometime in the early 1970s by Tacoma artist
Harold Morin. Born in Hälsingborg, Sweden in 1900, Morin spent
most of his professional years as a commercial artist in the Minneapo¬
lis-St. Paul area. In the 1960s he retired and moved to Pierce County,
Washington, where he devoted the remainder of his life to fine arts
painting. Known as much for his enormous capacity as for his
distinctive style, Morin is also remembered as a very fine craftsman
who produced both sculpture and furniture. These latter works were
always very decorative, very colorful, and invariably demonstrated
strong affinities with Swedish folk art. The table shown here
belonged to Harald and his wife, Huldi, and, in its design, matched
a large book shelf which stood in their Tacoma living room. Works
by Morin are primarily found in private collections in Pierce County,
the Midwest and Sweden. Public collections containing his works are
Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma) and the Nordic Heritage Muse­um
(Seattle). Information and photograph: courtesy of Dr. Brian
Magnusson, Fox Island, Washington.
58
Summary
It is fortunate that there is an expanding awareness and apprecia­tion
for the articles and family heirlooms used and preserved by our
ancestors. Without the collections that the Nordic Heritage Museum,
Pacific Lutheran University, and private collectors have put together,
many of these pieces would have been discarded, destined to be lost
forever. Saving the object, however, is saving only part of the story
that goes with that object. For those who still have some of these
historically priceless pieces of Swedish folkart remaining in their
family and the histories are known, it is critical that the stories be
preserved. Who made it? When did they make it? Where? How did
it come to you? Who had it before? When items do come in larger
collections, it is important that the histories be recorded and kept
together with the donated items and that resources be sufficient to
catalog not only who donated it but as much accompanying history
as possible.
The authors wish to express their appreciation to the Nordic
Heritage Museum, Seattle, WA and to the Scandinavian Cultural
Center, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA for providing access ,,
to the collections and permission to use photographs and descriptions
of items in this article. Special thanks are given to Marianne Fors¬
sblad, Director of the Nordic Heritage Museum, and her staff and to
Susan Young, Program Director of the Scandinavian Cultural Center,
for their valuable assistance in accessing the collections.
NOTES
1 Marion J. Nelson, ed., M a t e r i a l C u l t u r e and People's A r t among the N o r w e g i a n s in A m e r i ca
(Northfield, M N : NAHA, 1994).
2 Notable exceptions are, of course, also found in Western Washington as elsewhere.
The Hovander Homestead near Ferndale has a fine collection of furniture and other
household items brought from Sweden by Håkan Hovander. Similarly, the American
Swedish Institute in Minneapolis has numerous furniture items owned by the Turnblad
family and other Swedish immigrants.
3 There are numerous private collections of tools, and a detailed characterization of
them, while beyond the scope of the present survey, would easily provide material for
an independent study.
4 Iona Hath, The D e c o r a t i v e A r t s of Sweden (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1966),
147-9.
5 Jane Fredlund, Målade allmogemöbler (Västerås: ICA Bokförlag, 1989), 47-51.
6 Jane Fredlund, G a m l a Möbler - Möbelstilar och inredning i S v e r i g e 1 7 0 0 - 1 9 5 0 (Västerås:
ICA Bokförlag, 1995).
59
7 Sigfrid Svensson, Allmogemöbler - B i l d e r frän N o r d i s k museet (Stockholm: Nordiska
Museet, 1949), 28,39.
8 Sigurd Erixon, F o l k l i g möbelkultur i svenska bygder (Stockholm: P.A. Norstedt & Söner,
1970), 53.
9 Peter Anker, Chests and Caskets (Oslo: C. Huitfeldt Forlag, 1975).
1 0 Plath, The D e c o r a t i v e A r t s of Sweden, 150-1, 155, and 160.
11 Mai-Britt Kristiansson, H a n t v e r k och tradition i Ådalen (Stockholm: Lts Förlag, 1983),
44-7.
1 2 Johan Knutsson, Friargåvor (Stockholm: Nordiska Museet, 1995), 26-7, 56-9, 79, and
85.
1 3 Anna-Maja Nylén, Swedish Handcraft (Lund: Håkan Ohlsson Förlag, 1976), 370-88.
14 Plath, The D e c o r a t i v e A r t s of Sweden, 152-3.
1 5 Fredlund, Målade allmogenmöbler, 65-9.
1 6 Fredlund, G a m l a Möbler..., 117-21.
1 7 Erixon, 48, 68, and 81-5.
1 8 Barbro Klein and Mats Widbom, eds., Swedish Folk Art - A l l Tradition is Change (New
York: Henry N . Abrams, Inc., 1994), 36, 60, and 222.
1 9 Knutsson, 43 and 49.
2 0 Nylén, 363.
2 1 Jane Fredlund, S t o r a boken om l i v e t förr (Västerås: ICA Bokförlag, 1981), 47.
2 2 Plath, The D e c o r a t i v e A r t s of Sweden, 158-9.
2 3 Kristiansson, 44-5 and 89.
2 4 Nylén, 374-7.
2 5 Fredlund, S t o r a boken om l i v e t förr, 19-20 and 42.
2 6 Nylén, 357-361.
2 7 Fredlund, 19 and 25.
2 8 Klein and Widbom, 63.
2 9 Fredlund, 33 and 35.
3 0 Nylén, 383.
3 1 Nylén, 47.
3 2 Nylén, 107-338.
3 3 Maj Sternerj Homecrafts in Sweden (Stockholm: C.E. Fritzes Kungl. Hovbokhandel,
1939). np.
3 4 Plath, The D e c o r a t i v e A r t s of Sweden, 37-8.
3 5 Nylén, 262.
3 6 Klein and Widbom, 81.
3 7 Harley Refsal, Woodcarving in the Scandinavian Style (New York: Sterling Publishing
Co., 1992). np.
3 8 Nylén, 348-68.
3 9 Klein and Widbom, 10, 73-5, and 198-9.
60